After the disbandment of the Huben Army, Emperor Xia personally established the Dragon Guard Army, a newly formed elite force under his direct command. Chen Pengyi, once a prominent figure in the military, was now relegated to the position of a mere general within its ranks.
In theory, the Dragon Guard was supposed to be incorruptible—a force whose recruitment process was so stringent that it would be nearly impossible for any outside influence to plant spies within it. And yet, barely after its formation, a spy of the ninth rank had already emerged by Chen Pengyi's side.
Even more astonishing was the revelation that this spy served not the emperor, but the so-called "mysterious prince."
This alarming discovery deeply unsettled Mu Changtian. It made him wonder: Just how much influence did this mysterious prince wield within the Great Xia Dynasty? How deeply had his tendrils of control already burrowed into the empire's most secure bastions?
As Chen Pengyi crumpled to the ground, his eyes locked onto the shadowy figure on the roof—Wei Chao. Shock and disbelief twisted his face, unable to comprehend that it was this man, someone he had long trusted, who had struck the fatal blow.
With eyes bloodshot and wide with rage, he summoned the last vestige of strength in his body to roar:
"Wei... Chao!!!"
And with that final shout, Chen Pengyi collapsed, lifeless, his breath never returning.
A grandmaster under Chen Pengyi's command turned and glared at Wei Chao, his expression dark with fury. "Wei Chao! Do you understand what you've done? You've shattered His Majesty's plans. You and your entire family will pay for this betrayal!"
Wei Chao simply smiled, a calm and unreadable curve on his lips, offering no explanation.
In the next moment, a strange heaviness seemed to fall over the courtyard. The air itself thickened, and an eerie silence spread like fog. Even the sound of clashing swords gradually diminished—not because the battle had ended, but because a suffocating pressure had settled over everyone, sinking into their bones like lead.
Then, a man's voice rang out from the direction of the courtyard gates.
"The Shadow Guards are almost here... It's time to end this farce."
Sensing danger, a grandmaster among the gathered warriors instinctively turned to face the source of the voice. His shout echoed into the silence: "Who's there?!"
Before his words had even finished, a flash of cold light cleaved through the air. The grandmaster had no time to react. In the blink of an eye, his head soared skyward, blood trailing in an arc before thudding heavily to the ground.
Another master reacted immediately, charging at the figure who had just arrived. But again, a second flash of cold light streaked through the gloom—and his head too was severed cleanly, his body slumping to the ground in eerie silence.
Two grandmasters, dead in an instant. Killed by a single stroke each.
Everyone in the courtyard froze, utterly stunned by the terrifying scene that had just unfolded before them.
Mu Changtian's eyes widened as he watched the two lifeless bodies fall to the earth. Only then could he make out the figure clearly.
The man was dressed in a flowing red robe and held a long, gleaming blade. Despite having killed two top experts, not a single drop of blood clung to his weapon. With practiced ease, the man slid the blade back into its sheath.
Mu Xingping stammered, "Gr-Grandmaster?"
Mu Jingwu, standing nearby, shook his head solemnly. "No... not quite a grandmaster. But his strength is undoubtedly close—perhaps only a step away."
Before more could be said, the man in red turned his head slightly and spoke to the air behind him.
"It's time to clean up."
The moment his words fell, several ninth-grade martial artists emerged silently from the shadows behind him. But these weren't ordinary ninth-grade warriors. Their auras were oppressive, and their movements precise and deadly. In mere moments, they swept through the courtyard like a storm, eliminating the remaining warriors under Chen Pengyi's command.
Mu Changtian stood motionless, his heart pounding.
He recognized the man.
The one who had just effortlessly slain two masters was none other than the owner of Yuelai Restaurant in the capital!
Mu Changtian had always been fond of Yuelai Restaurant's food. Before his daughter Mu Zixuan married the Ninth Prince, he frequently dined there, enjoying the atmosphere and the fine wine. As such, he'd become quite familiar with the restaurant's owner.
He had always assumed that Yuelai Restaurant was secretly under the control of the Eighth Prince, Lu Shuyun. And so, after Mu Zixuan's marriage to the Ninth Prince, Mu Changtian had deliberately avoided the place.
But now? The one who had come to rescue him at this critical moment was that very same restaurant owner?
And more shockingly—he was no mere restaurateur.
He was a martial powerhouse, capable of executing two grandmasters in the span of seconds!
Even if Mu Changtian had still possessed his former strength, he doubted he could've achieved such a feat. This wasn't just raw strength—it was mastery of the blade on a level he had never witnessed before.
No... this wasn't ordinary blade skill. His swordsmanship bordered on the supernatural. Even after cutting through flesh and bone, not a drop of blood had sullied his blade.
Mu Changtian finally collected himself and forced a faint smile. "I never imagined the Eighth Prince had such a hidden expert at his side. Boss Liang... you're far more remarkable than you appear."
He paused, then added, "So, the prince you mentioned earlier... you were referring to the Eighth Prince?"
Though he found it hard to believe, the logic seemed sound. Liang Zong—owner of a restaurant under the Eighth Prince's domain—had just led a covert operation to save him. It was only natural to assume he served Lu Shuyun.
Yet... something still didn't quite add up.
Why would the Eighth Prince go to such lengths to rescue someone like him?
The Eighth Prince didn't hold military power. He hadn't even been enfeoffed. Aside from a thousand personal guards in the capital, he had no standing army to speak of.
Could he be planning a rebellion?
But then again, that theory made little sense now that Mu Changtian knew this prince was Emperor Xia's own son.
Having once been betrayed by the emperor himself, how could he possibly place blind trust in his son?
Just as confusion began to cloud his thoughts, Liang Zong chuckled and said lightly, "The Eighth Prince? No, no, no. He is far from worthy of my loyalty."
Mu Changtian stiffened in place.
Not the Eighth Prince?
The owner of a restaurant operating under the Eighth Prince's name... was not even one of his people?
His brows furrowed deeply. "Then... who is this 'prince' you speak of?" he asked, curiosity lacing his voice. "At this point, I think I've earned the right to know."
Liang Zong gave a mysterious smile. "Don't worry, Duke Mu. You'll meet him soon enough."
Mu Changtian shook his head with a sigh, half amused and half exasperated. "Your prince is certainly enigmatic."
Still, even if Liang Zong wasn't a grandmaster, his strength was without question. For the mysterious prince to station someone like him in hiding, it was clear he possessed many powerful experts under his command.
Mu Changtian now found himself desperately curious. He wanted to rip open Liang Zong's mind and see which prince had orchestrated all this—who had so many chess pieces already in play, and who had dared to maneuver against the emperor in the shadows.
At that moment, Liang Zong's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Duke Mu, starting today, the Mu Mansion will cease to exist."
Then he turned to the Jinyiwei beside him and gave a chillingly calm order:
"Report that Duke Mu was ambushed by assassins en route to exile. At a critical moment, he activated the Blood Burning Technique and perished alongside three masters."
After a brief pause, Liang Zong glanced back at Mu Changtian and asked, "Duke Mu, how does that ending sound to you?"
Mu Changtian immediately understood the meaning behind it.
Liang Zong wanted to grant them new identities, allow them to vanish from the emperor's radar. It was a way to keep them safe while erasing their past.
With a slight nod, Mu Changtian replied, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Boss Liang."
Liang Zong gave a small, respectful bow. "There's no need for such formality, Duke Mu. This is merely my duty."
Following the command, the Jinyiwei moved swiftly. They expertly reconstructed the crime scene, setting the stage for the fabricated story.
By the time the Shadow Guards arrived at the inn, flames had already engulfed the entire structure. All that remained were a few of Chen Pengyi's men, lying wounded outside the blaze—silent witnesses to a scene that now bore no trace of truth.
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